Lettrism: History, Theory, and Contemporary Relevance
An analysis of two works on Lettrism—'Lettrisme. Vue d'ensemble sur quelques dépassements précis' and Guillaume Robin's 'Lettrisme. Le bouleversement des arts'—alongside the exhibition held at Villa Tamaris in autumn 2010, reveals significant insights. Founded by Isidore Isou, Lettrism sought to supplant conventional language with newly created alphabets. Isou's 1951 film, 'Traité de bave et d'éternité', is regarded as 'the greatest experimental film ever made.' While critics in the 1950s dismissed Lettrism as mere mystification, Guy Debord recognized its subversive potential. The Villa Tamaris exhibition highlighted modern lettrist art. Robin's essay elucidates lettrist theory and explores the transition from Parisian novels to the affiche-lacerations by Hains and Villeglé, showcasing Lettrism's impact on 1960s conceptual artists and Beat writers.
Key facts
- Isidore Isou founded Lettrism.
- Isou's 1951 film 'Traité de bave et d'éternité' was promoted as 'the greatest experimental film ever made'.
- Lettrism aimed to replace ordinary language with invented alphabets and revolutionize all knowledge.
- Isou's 1961 work 'Bois à clous sobres (II)' uses nails and wire on wood to create graphic movements.
- Guy Debord was a disciple of Isou and saw subversive potential in Lettrism.
- The exhibition at Villa Tamaris took place in autumn 2010.
- Guillaume Robin's book 'Lettrisme. Le bouleversement des arts' was published by Éditions Hermann.
- Lettrism influenced Nouveau Réalisme, Fluxus, and conceptual art.
- Raymond Hains and Jacques Villeglé collected and lacerated posters in Paris.
- Robert Altman, William Burroughs, Brion Gysin, and Gregory Corso attended lettrist meetings.
Entities
Artists
- Isidore Isou
- Guy Debord
- Guillaume Robin
- Raymond Hains
- Jacques Villeglé
- Robert Altman
- William Burroughs
- Brion Gysin
- Gregory Corso
- Léo Malet
- Léon-Paul Fargue
Institutions
- Villa Tamaris Centre d'art
- La Nerthe
- Éditions Hermann
Locations
- Paris
- France
Sources
- artpress —